Matchmaker
by neech
Summary: -Goong- He supposed it was the way of the matchmakers: Work yourself silly over the two most frustrating people, break your scrying glass in a fit of frustration and then proceed to the nearest bar to drown yourself in sorrows and alcohol.


Matchmaker  
By Neech  
Category: Goong  
Rating: K+ (for romance)  
Status: Goong one-shot (completed)  
Pairings: Shin/Chae-Gyeong  
Genre: Romance/ Humour  
Disclaimer: I don't own Goong, and I never will.

* * *

"Ugh."

He slammed his scrying glass onto the table, refusing to look at the image of a bickering couple held with within the cracked glass. He massaged his temple as he began to hear screams, yelling and finally the resounding smack of a palm connecting with a soft object echoing into the silence. He groaned and waved one hand, his head pounding as the images faded into transparency, and he attempting to think about something- anything- other than the unlikely pairing of the Crown Prince and Princess of Korea.

He needed a pint, he decided. Maybe even several, of something remotely strong enough to knock him out for the next century or two. Or maybe until they passed away, he relented. As long as he didn't have to deal with _those two_.

A snap of his fingers, and he was in his favourite bar high above Athens, a good distance from Olympus itself. The bartender, a friendly satyr with a cheerful disposition (Teramides, if memory did not fail him), took one look at his face and passed him a drink, quietly muttering about it being on the house.

He sent him a grateful look, proceeding to down the drink in one gulp, trying hard not to choke from the potency of the liquor. After several more drinks of equal strength, he was decidedly less sober than when he had come in. He supposed it was the way of the matchmakers: Work yourself silly over the two most frustrating people, break your scrying glass in a fit of frustration and then proceed to the nearest bar to drown yourself in sorrows and alcohol.

"My Lord?" Teramides asked, reaching out to steady his barstool as it wobbled dangerously, the weight of a sloshed being swaying on the stool (not to mention the heavy arrows he carried around) nearly causing it to tip over. He lifted his head, but gave up half-way, allowing it to make a small 'thump' as his forehead bounced off the countertop.

"Paaah. –mides. Juz leeve me alone." He slurred out. He needed time to think, and sitting surrounded by fluffy white clouds would just ruin the atmosphere.

He supposed he should have given up when he had the chance. He had been stupid and arrogant to take up this project, when his own Korean counterpart had deemed it too difficult and problematic to keep on sustaining. After all, there must have been a reason for his friend's shock of unruly white hair. He remembered his counterpart's proud exclamations of his abilities and the difficulty of coupling Koreans, but he had never imagined the task to be quite so… difficult,

But it could have been the royal couple themselves that was the trouble. Never had he met a more odd pairing. Sure, there was the 'whole opposites attract theory' (He was the mastermind of it, after all), but the one thing they both shared was their love for freedom, and that was where the similarities ended. The Crown Prince's sulks and slightly cold-hearted manner did not often sit well with the Princess, and her cheerful, spontaneous nature and bouts of homesickness often caused no end of trouble.

He did, however, pride himself on bringing them closer together, even if it was only for a brief moment. Their escapade at the Summer Palace had almost (almost, he thought) made him feel that his job was worthwhile, as he choked with satisfaction each time his two subjects held hands or laughed together. The night they had spent together had even given him enough confidence to leave them alone for a mere fortnight to go celebrating the fact that the Humans had not yet managed to exterminate all life on the planet with Apollo.

Alas, therein lay his mistake. When he returned, he found their relationship in utter shreds, all his good work gone to waste and the consequences devastating. And all because of the two interfering humans: the Hyorin girl and whatsit- Yul boy. He would have to get Cronus back for that. (It practically reeked of his doing, and maybe Prometheus as well)

Consultations with Aphrodite (dear, darling _mother_ was absolutely **useless**, as usual) had not helped, and even a brand new set of gold-tipped arrows had gone to waste. He wondered whether the situation was irredeemable. Throughout the week, the words 'Divorce', 'Hate' and 'I don't forgive you' had rung out, and he was on the verge of throwing the task to someone else.

His head swam, and he wondered why there seemed to be what looked like sheep floating around in his vision. After several moans and three broken glasses later, Teramides helped him materialise back home though not without a bump on his noggin and a sprained horn for his trouble.

-8-

The next morning, he awoke with an epiphany and a pressing need for aspirin. Throbbing headache aside, he was in a terribly good mood, even after picking up the scrying bowl only to see the couple sitting in their separate rooms in the crystal-clear water.

Closing his eyes, her snapped his fingers, praying that his good friend was listening.

"Malady? Hey, buddy! Long time no see! Been doing well? Yeah, me too. Sorry, Mal, but I have a situation here. Uh huh. I kind of need a favour…"

-8-

Nine hours later, he was in an extremely pleasant mood. Cursing Prince Lee Shin with a persistent bout of nausea had been a stroke of genius, if he did say so himself. As usual, her Highness had been terribly worried and had come running. He watched with obvious enjoyment as she confessed her love to the rather dazed-looking Crown Prince. And when they kissed, Cupid smiled, for these were the moments that made is job worth it.

Finito 


End file.
